What’s Canada Buying? January 25, 2013

One more LAV III announcement, now that the work has been announced“The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Associate Minister of National Defence, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie) and Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche, (yesterday) was on hand to announce the delivery of Canada’s first upgraded Light Armoured Vehicle III …. Canada’s fleet of Light Armoured Vehicle III’s has recently served the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan and other areas of operation. With the upgrades, they will be state-of-the-art combat vehicles that will be used to transport infantry on the battlefield while providing defensive protection and firepower ….”

And what’s the latest timeline on the upgraded LAV IIIs, according to the Info-machine(updated Backgrounder also downloadable here if previous link doesn’t work)? “…. On January 24, 2013, the Government of Canada announced the on-schedule delivery of Canada’s first upgraded Light Armoured Vehicle III, in London, Ontario. The next steps will be to conduct a comprehensive test and evaluation program to ensure their performance, and put in place the necessary logistics support to allow fielding to operational units in fall 2013.”

Speaking of armoured vehicle work in London, Ontario …. “The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Associate Minister of National Defence, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie) and Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche, today announced a significant subcontract that will sustain and create high-quality jobs while providing the Canadian Army with new and improved Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles. Kongsberg Protech Systems Canada has been awarded this $100 million contract by Rheinmetall Canada Inc. in support of the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle project which will help to sustain 16 jobs and create approximately 16 more jobs – doubling the workforce at KONGSBERG Canada’s London, Ontario production facility …. The Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles project is one of four ‘Family of Land Combat’ projects announced at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in July 2009. These new vehicles offer an increased degree of safety and protection for crew members over our Canadian Army’s Light Armoured Vehicle II (Coyote) and the Armoured Patrol Vehicles (RG-31). Once in service, these vehicles will perform a number of critical roles, including reconnaissance and surveillance, command and control, and cargo and armoured personnel transportation. This subcontract is a result of the Government of Canada’s $708.7 million contract award to Textron Systems Canada Inc. and is an example of the high quality work being carried out by the Canadian defence and security industry. Thanks to the Government of Canada’s Industrial and Regional Benefits policy, when Textron Systems Canada Inc. was awarded the contract for the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles, they committed to ensure that 100 per cent of the contract’s value would be invested into the Canadian economy ….”